First of all you’ll want to choose an acupuncture school that offers consultation services for its graduates. The schools that do, allow graduates after graduation, to consult with instructors regarding care of their patients. You’ll also want to check to see if your state is on the national list of about 49 acupuncture schools with accredited programs and you’ll want to find an acupuncture school that offers smaller classes.

Acupuncture schools that offer courses in traditional Chinese medicine often include related training or courses in traditional medicine, such as anatomy and physiology, body therapy, massage therapy, and other sciences. For naturopathy schools that offer acupuncture programs there is a list called the: List of Accredited Natural Medicine Colleges in North America. Check with the school you’re considering making sure they have a wide selection of study resources available so you can have all the essential acupuncture materials for a broad learning experience.

You’ll also want to find out what the acupuncture training, school and program options are in your home area. Try to find a school whose program emphasizes courses in traditional Chinese medicine because acupuncture is just one element of traditional Chinese medicine. There are a few acupuncture schools that teach acupuncture practitioners the five-element Oriental medicine approach to acupuncture, which is often used in conjunction with the traditional Western medical practices.

Acupuncture is used for: arthritis, headaches, migraines, to quit smoking, to lose weight , fertility, fibromyalgia, depression, insomnia, face lifts as in facial acupuncture, back pain, high blood pressure, pregnancy, cosmetic purposes, anxiety, panic attacks, Crohn’s disease, asthma and on dogs and other pets or animals as in veterinary acupuncture.

If you haven’t experienced acupuncture make to visit an acupuncture clinic to learn more about acupuncture. You might want to talk to an acupuncture specialist or naturopath about a possible acupuncture career also. Talk to the financial aid counselors at the acupuncture school or college you’re considering to see if they have any ideas or suggestions for scholarships, grants or education loans if you need to finance your training.

Before you commit to any acupuncture school or to any acupuncture training you can check out the “Fundamentals of Chinese Acupuncture” by Ellis, Wiseman, and Bosson. This excellent textbook is used in many acupuncture schools and acupuncture training programs and will give you a better idea if you’d like to pursue acupuncture as a career.

If you haven’t checked already may sure to check and see if you need a license to practice acupuncture in your state. You may not need a license. Get the facts first on which states require licensing. Note that each state and each discipline has its own criteria about how alternative medicine practitioners are to be professionally licensed, if at all.

Acupuncture programs in acupuncture schools can be expensive and usually require three years or so of classes and sometimes up to five years. If you have a naturopathic school in your area, email or give them a call to find out the licensing requirements in your state. If you do get financing help or aid in the form of federal assistance be sure to have selected a school that’s accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM).

An acupuncture career has great career growth potential. Just be sure to find out the length of the coursework and the expense upfront and know how you plan to handle it. Many have done it before you. If possible, intern in an acupuncture clinic in your neighborhood to get first hand experience before you decide. But make sure to learn about the licensing requirements for acupuncturists for your state before you do anything else.

According to Traditional Chinese medicine, there are more than 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body. These points, or meridians, conduct energy known as qi (or Ch’i). Qi regulates spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical balance and is influenced by the opposing forces of yin and yang. When yin and yang are balanced, they work together with the natural flow of qi to help the body achieve and maintain health. Acupuncture is believed to balance yin and yang, keep the normal flow of energy unblocked, and restore health to the body and mind.

Yin and Yang

The underlying principle of yin and yang is that antagonistic forces in nature always compliment and unify each other. For example, everything that has a front has a back; both sides are needed to make a complete structure.

The yin (negative) energy flows from the feet along the insides of the legs to the upper part of the body down to the fingertips. The yang (positive) energy begins at the fingertips, proceeds to the shoulders and head and down to the tips of the toes. Oriental philosophy teaches that when these meridians become blocked, vital nerve energy cannot flow properly throughout the body. This results in disease states. This procedure is very safe  and can help to greatly lessen the intensity and occurrence of arthritis pain and various  other health conditions.

Acupressure is similar to acupuncture; the only difference is that instead of thin needles being inserted into the skin to free up energy in blocked meridians, firm pressure is applied over the skin by using the fingertips.In acupressure various points of the body correspond to various areas, organs, and glands. When a gland, area, or organ is unbalanced, its corresponding point on the body will be sore. This tells that there is a “leak” of the body’s energy at that spot.

You can effectively use acupressure, using a very simple and basic technique. When a painful spot is found, firmly press your fingertip over it and maintain this pressure. When this energy “leak” is closed, the body’s polarity is reversed. Energy flows back into the body instead of out of the body at the sore spot. Regeneration is complete when the tenderness is gone. Press only with the amount of pressure that you can comfortably manage.

Pressure should be firm but not hard enough to aggravate existing pain. Treat a sore point as often as possible. As an example, treat the sore point(s) everyday for the first week, then two to three times during the next week, then once per week thereafter. Remember, by treating a sore spot you are also augmenting the strength of its corresponding organ. As organ function improves, so will overall health.